Page 15 of Two for Holding
Then again, maybe Jax, as a perpetual egoist, couldn’t understand a way of life that entailed devoting your whole self to someone else’s job.He just didn’t think he could love a man who would be satisfied with an influencer career and coordinating outfits with twenty other people in his spare time.
Although…Jax played hockey professionally.He spent pretty much the entirety of his working hours coordinating his outfits with other guys.
The thought made him laugh, and then he had to share it with Breezy, who also chuckled.
“I never thought about it that way.”Breezy turned to him, eyes wide.“I guess the WAGs really are, like, their own team, you know?Wedding season is their playoffs.”
“You are going to make some woman very happy,” Jax told him.
A huge smile lit up Breezy’s face.“Thanks, man.Hey, you will too.You should try it sometime.I know you’re all about the one-night-stand thing, but having a girlfriend is lit.”
Jax smiled awkwardly, trying to formulate a response that wouldn’t crush Breezy’s hopes and dreams.
Thankfully, Mooney leaned over the aisle.“So, you think Vanessa’s gonna be Mrs.Breezy?You know she’s going dress shopping with Allie.”
All the blood drained instantly from Breezy’s face.
Good.He was way too young to get married.
The roadie went from south to north, so they started in Florida.On the bright side, awesome beaches; on the downside, even in November, the humidity climbed above 70 percent.Finally, a reason to be glad he didn’t live on the East Coast anymore.At least the ice was decent in Sunrise.They must have paid a fortune to get an NHL-level rink installed there, and they didn’t have Vegas money.The investment had paid off.
The other bright side was that they’d played a matinee game against the Wildcats—a loss.But they were 4–3–3 in the season so far, so Jax didn’t worry too much; they had plenty of time to turn things around and eleven points in the standings.And it left the team with a free evening in Florida.
For the first time since Jax had joined the team, Tom agreed to go out for drinks.For the first time since Jax had joined the team, he begged off with a headache.The opportunity was too good.
No one knew shit about hockey in Florida.
Hooking up in Edmonton had been dumb as fuck.When the guy he’d matched with on an app he’d thought kept his identity reasonably anonymous showed up wearing his fucking jersey, he’d nearly called the whole thing off.He hadn’t because he was drunk, horny, and still pissed about being traded for being queer.It would serve management in Philly right if he got outed after all, and everyone found out why they’d traded him.
Then Tom caught him, and Jax had a queasy moment of fear that his stupid, drunk revenge fantasy would become a reality.He still hadn’t decided whether to be relieved or disappointed it hadn’t.
Florida though.Florida was safe turf.Not to actually be gay, obviously.You couldn’t pay Jax to live in this state, and if his agent had suggested he move here back when he was in contract talks and not just being traded with no warning, he’d have demanded some ludicrously high sum.Fifteen mil or bust.Something no team in the league could afford.Anything not to have to live in Florida while being queer.Visiting Florida as a gay man though?That shit ruled.
Jax considered going old-school, forgoing the apps, and heading out to the clubs instead.He’d packed a single pair of jeans for this road trip, anticipating very little cause to wear anything but game day suits and athleisure.Along with a tight, threadbare shirt, he could easily pass as one of many guys in a crowd out to hook up.
Of course, as soon as he’d gotten his wallet squeezed into the scant space in the back pocket of his pants and fixed his hair to appear artfully tousled in the little makeup mirror in the bathroom (Jax really had to get one of those installed whenever he finally found a place), there came a knock on the door.
He checked his watch.He’d switched out his usual Rolex for a leather band, which appeared less expensive, though it wasn’t.Seemed safer for going out.Eleven thirty, too late for a casual visitor.
“Jax?”Tom asked through the door.
He was so soft-spoken for a hockey player, especially for such a tall one.He had a good three or four inches on Jax, but with the way he talked, the way he behaved, it surprised Jax every time to realize he took up so much physical space.
Jax pulled open the door.“What is it?”
“I, uh…” Tom looked him up and down slowly.“I wanted to talk to you about drills.Were you going somewhere?”
“And if I was?”
“Curfew starts in fifteen minutes.”
Jax blinked.That explained why he wasn’t still out getting drinks.“Tom, you are a thirty-two-year-old man.”
“So?”
“So, have you never broken curfew to get laid?”
“Of course not!”
